short shift disappointment

[booomer]

Just fitted a z3 1.9 gearstick to my M50'd e30 and i've got to say i'm pretty disappointed. To me it doesn't feel very sporty at all, just like a normal car. Also the gearstick is now sat way forward as if its in third when in actual fact it is in neutral, i guess i just need to put more of a bend on the selector rod to bring it back to centre. Does anybody have any experience with returning 'unused' parts to BMW? i'm thinking of going for the z3 2.8 stick instead.

[harry_p]

Is it in the right way round? It should still sit in the centre of the console in neutral.

[pacerpete]

Most people fit a 'short shift' lever to cure their sloppy gear shift. Replacing all the worn bits is often a better idea.


PS, re returns, you ordered it = you own it.

[bmw9818]

you put it in the wrong way round,

[pac1982]

you put it in the wrong way round,

+1, its yourself you should be disappointed with

[booomer]

Yeah my bad, it was in the wrong way round. But my disappointment is with the feel of the gear change, it isn't a quick shift at all! its no better than my diesel astra. anybody on here have a 2.8 gearstick in their car?

[rich318i]

Yeah my bad, it was in the wrong way round. But my disappointment is with the feel of the gear change, it isn't a quick shift at all! its no better than my diesel astra. anybody on here have a 2.8 gearstick in their car?

2.8 and z3 are the same shifts what box you using?

[leeparkes]

Z3 1.9 and Z3 2.8 use different shifters, 2.8 is a shorter throw.

[maggspower]

Yeah my bad, it was in the wrong way round. But my disappointment is with the feel of the gear change, it isn't a quick shift at all! its no better than my diesel astra. anybody on here have a 2.8 gearstick in their car?

You really have to compare apples with apples

e.g "I have tuned up my ivalid spastic carraige, but its not as quick as my Kawasaki Ninja". Not really fair is it.

How does the gearshift compare, to how it was before. That would be fair.

The 1.9 z3 shifter, is a good updrade, anything shorter is too notchy.

[e30topless]

bit of a guide here,



Z3 1.9 is probably the best all rounder but as pete said it won't improve a sloppy shift... just make it feel a bit tighter and maybe notchy,

[rich318i]

Z3 1.9 and Z3 2.8 use different shifters, 2.8 is a shorter throw.

328i E36 and Z3 have the same shift with a M20 box only are every short and very nice.

M52 boxes Need the Z3M shift for short or pay £400 for a DTM shift

[rich318i]

bit of a guide here,



Z3 1.9 is probably the best all rounder but as pete said it won't improve a sloppy shift... just make it feel a bit tighter and maybe notchy,

That is not right

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... conversion

[e30topless]

That is not right

what's not right ?

[rich318i]

the part number for the z3m

[booomer]

basically there's only a slight improvement over the standard e30 gearchange! i can't feel any sloppyness, just about a mile of throw between 1st and 2nd. i'm going to rip it out and buy a 2.8 stick, i don't understand what 'too notchy' means, in my books notchy = good!

[rich318i]

basically there's only a slight improvement over the standard e30 gearchange! i can't feel any sloppyness, just about a mile of throw between 1st and 2nd. i'm going to rip it out and buy a 2.8 stick, i don't understand what 'too notchy' means, in my books notchy = good!

where you from? got one in london

[smithysmith]

basically there's only a slight improvement over the standard e30 gearchange! i can't feel any sloppyness, just about a mile of throw between 1st and 2nd. i'm going to rip it out and buy a 2.8 stick, i don't understand what 'too notchy' means, in my books notchy = good!

Good luck with your synchromesh

[smithysmith]

the part number for the z3m

It's the part number for the z3 1.9

[hongkongfuey]

I've got the z3 2.8 shifter . In mine and Im happy with it. If you are in portsmouth you can try mine

[jamlid]

I've just fitted a 1.9 z3 shifter to my 325i and it's a massive difference. It's just the right amount of throw and not too notchy.

[DanThe]

I've just fitted a 1.9 z3 shifter to my 325i and it's a massive difference. It's just the right amount of throw and not too notchy.

A sensible comment!

[booomer]

basically there's only a slight improvement over the standard e30 gearchange! i can't feel any sloppyness, just about a mile of throw between 1st and 2nd. i'm going to rip it out and buy a 2.8 stick, i don't understand what 'too notchy' means, in my books notchy = good!

Good luck with your synchromesh

The further the distance between the centres of the pivot ball and the bush where the selector rod attaches means in that there is a smaller force being transmitted through the selector rod for an equivalent force being applied at the hand ball, therefore the longitudinal force being applied to the synchronisers is actually less, therefore so will be the synchronising torque and friction between the contact surfaces! a longer gearstick above the spherical bearing would result in higher synchronising forces

[DanThe]

basically there's only a slight improvement over the standard e30 gearchange! i can't feel any sloppyness, just about a mile of throw between 1st and 2nd. i'm going to rip it out and buy a 2.8 stick, i don't understand what 'too notchy' means, in my books notchy = good!

Good luck with your synchromesh

The further the distance between the centres of the pivot ball and the bush where the selector rod attaches means in that there is a smaller force being transmitted through the selector rod for an equivalent force being applied at the hand ball, therefore the longitudinal force being applied to the synchronisers is actually less, therefore so will be the synchronising torque and friction between the contact surfaces! a longer gearstick above the spherical bearing would result in higher synchronising forces

With a short shift the 'leverage' is less which means the force has to be increased to make the same movement of the linkages

[Duke137]

[polsta]

Most people fit a 'short shift' lever to cure their sloppy gear shift. Replacing all the worn bits is often a better idea.


PS, re returns, you ordered it = you own it.

I fitted a 1.9 shift to my 318is, it was great , tight slick, the 2-3rd and 4th-5th changes felt great sporty feel

But when I got my 325 (after driving one a few weeks before that was sloppy as fook, the prev owner of mine had just refurbed all the gear linkage with new bmw parts and it felt super, and I don't think il change it, pulling away fast from dead is much nicer with standard aswell I think

[booomer]

Good luck with your synchromesh

The further the distance between the centres of the pivot ball and the bush where the selector rod attaches means in that there is a smaller force being transmitted through the selector rod for an equivalent force being applied at the hand ball, therefore the longitudinal force being applied to the synchronisers is actually less, therefore so will be the synchronising torque and friction between the contact surfaces! a longer gearstick above the spherical bearing would result in higher synchronising forces

With a short shift the 'leverage' is less which means the force has to be increased to make the same movement of the linkages

yeah so to achieve the required axial force on the synchronisers, a larger force has to be applied at the gearstick, so all you are doing is putting neglegibly larger force through the gearstick and not the rest of the system, obviously unless you are thraping it into gear! The simple fact is that you have an increased ability to apply a larger and potentially damaging force with the standard gearstick, not with a z3 one

[capnmchl]

^ The design of the standard shifter is made in conjunction with the fact that there is a certain distance the selector fork can move between neutral and the point of full engagement of a dog gear, thus the load borne on the syncromesh friction cones. By increasing the length between the pivot and bush, you're also increasing the distance the gear selector fork can move from neutral past its natural resting place when in gear. This means that the syncromesh cones will have a lot more load on them and wear out quicker.

Whilst the detent system in the gearbox will prohibit constant ramping; violent, or over exuberant shifting will wear out the syncromesh system quicker.

[booomer]

i think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one, the selector fork does not move any further than its meant to, hence why the throw of the gearstick gets shorter.